UNIVERSITY CITY (KMOV.com) — University City Police are investigating two recent carjackings of Washington University students. According to Capt. Frederick Lemons, detectives are following several leads in the cases.
WashU students received crime alert bulletins about both incidents. Stella Goffman is a student at the school.
“That’s definitely a worry that there are people out there that want to take advantage of WashU students,” she said.
According to police, on Tuesday around 3:18 p.m. a female student was walking to her car in the alley behind the 6000 block of Clemens Avenue when a man with a gun took her keys and cellphone and drove off.
On Jan. 27 police said four men walked up to two female students sitting in a parked car in the 6200 block of Cabanne and demanded the women get out. The suspects then drove off in the car. The crime happened around 12:50 p.m.
Investigators say they don’t believe the students were specifically targeted, and that the incidents were crimes of opportunity. They said it’s rare for these types of crime to happen in the middle of the day.
Among the safety tips that WashU and police pass along to students is to park in well lit places, be aware of your surroundings and don’t sit on your phone for a long time before you start driving.
University City Police have joined together with the Washington University Police Department to begin robbery and car theft crime prevention patrols. According to Capt. Lemons, detectives are working with other police departments and federal authorities to find and prosecute those involved in the two recent student carjackings.
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